Music for 12 Violins, Parts I+II is a testament to Erik’s ability to render music that is simultaneously pervaded by both simplicity and depth, both equally palpable and refined. Dense clusters of precisely tuned intervals circle each other, carefully stepping from one to the next on a path that grows increasingly familiar but never registers as rote or repetitive. The careful construction of each harmony yields a vivid superstratum of acoustic phenomena that allows the ear to traverse the composite texture by both climbing the verticalities of the harmonic movement and submerging one’s conscious thought deep into the kaleidoscopic complexion. Part I features tightly knit dissonance resulting in acoustic beating that purrs, concomitantly massaging your cochlea and stimulating your cerebellum. Part II immediately strikes the ear as containing more open sonorities (relatively speaking), trading the rapid acoustic beating of Part I for a slower warble and a more variegated texture. I encourage the listener to listen to both sides in succession so that they can properly register the scale of the transformation that occurs between both parts.
Often left out of the picture in the traditional composer/interpreter paradigm is the recording engineer’s role – one that Erik has made an integral part of his work. The ability to approach each component individually allows him to focus his energy on realizing every part with precision that is perhaps unrealistic for the scope of a live performance. Through this, Erik is able to come within spitting distance of some kind of ideal that could perhaps be thought of as the locus where the work’s identity resides.”
~Tyler J. Borden
Written, performed, and recorded by Erik Carlson
Recorded at the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, UCSD, September 2016
Mastered by A.F. Jones at Laminal Audio
Cover Art by Ellie Moser
C60 on high quality chrome
